Their debut album Darker Half was then released in 2011 through Reaper Records. The two following full-length albums Lost in Life (2014) and Bad to My World would then be released by Bridge Nine Records, a household name in the US Hardcore scene. The band announced their breakup in 2019, signing off with a final tour through North America, Asia and Australia. They played their last show on November 30, 2019 in Amityville, NY.
Stylistically, the band played a modernized version of the NYHC style pioneered by bands such as Sick Of It All or Madball.
At the time of the breakup, the band consisted of James Vitalo (vocals), Ricky Singh (guitar), Chris Smith (guitar), Danny Smith (bass), and John T. Lopez (drums).
Too Close
Backtrack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's why I'm empty now
I need that piece of me back
I need that piece of me back
So I can kill my past and start from scratch
I brought you too close
I lowered my guard
I need that piece of me you stole away
Now cause of you
I can't get out of this hell
You left me out
And I'm still empty now
But what you wanted from me
I couldn't give
I've seen the warning signs and the whole time
I brought you too close
I lowered my guard
I need that piece of me you stole away
I brought you too close
Now cause of you
I can't get out of this hell
I brought you in too close
Trusted you with my life
I brought you in too close
And then I watched you pull the plug
What you wanted from me
I couldn't give to you
So I'm not looking back
Just want to bury my past
I brought you in too close
The lyrics to Backtrack's song "Too Close" seem to be about a failed relationship or a friendship that has ended poorly. The singer is feeling empty and incomplete because someone they trusted or loved has left them, taking a piece of them with them. They express a desire to start over and "kill" their past, but they can't do it without retrieving that lost piece of themselves. The repetition of the lines "I brought you too close" and "I lowered my guard" suggest that the singer may be blaming themselves for the loss, feeling that they let their guard down too much and trusted too easily.
Later in the song, the singer says that they've seen "warning signs" all along, indicating that perhaps the relationship wasn't healthy or fulfilling from the start. Despite this, they still brought the other person "too close" and now feel trapped in a "hell." The line "What you wanted from me, I couldn't give" suggests that perhaps the singer and the other person had mismatched expectations or needs from the relationship, leading to its downfall. The last verse seems to indicate that the singer is ready to move on and leave the past behind, but they still feel the pain of what was lost.
Overall, the lyrics to "Too Close" seem to explore the difficult emotions that come with a failed relationship or friendship. The singer is struggling to reconcile their feelings of loss and emptiness with their desire to move on and start fresh.
Line by Line Meaning
You left me out
You ignored me and didn't include me, causing me to feel empty and alone
That's why I'm empty now
My feelings of loneliness are due to your exclusion of me
I need that piece of me back
I need to regain control of my emotions and sense of self
So I can kill my past and start from scratch
I want to let go of my past and begin anew, free from the pain that you caused me
I brought you too close
I let you get too close to me, opening myself up to vulnerability
I lowered my guard
I let down my defenses and allowed you into my life
I need that piece of me you stole away
You took a part of me with you when you left, and I need it back to feel whole
Now cause of you
As a result of your actions
I can't get out of this hell
I feel trapped in a cycle of pain and can't escape it
But what you wanted from me
You had specific expectations of me
I couldn't give
I was unable to meet your expectations
I've seen the warning signs and the whole time
I noticed the signs of trouble, but ignored them and continued on with the relationship
I brought you in too close
I allowed you into my heart and my life
Trusted you with my life
I had faith in you and believed that you had my best interests at heart
And then I watched you pull the plug
You suddenly ended things with me and left me behind
Just want to bury my past
I want to let go of my history and leave it behind
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.